Latin America: a diverse heritage

Cusco is the starting point for one of the most famous and accessible treks in the world. About 25 miles long, the trail connects the ancient Incan capital with Machu Picchu itself. Following the Urubamba mountain range, the trail offers unrivalled panoramic views and leads through historic Incan sites on its way to the most famous of them all. This storied pilgrimage weaves along at an altitude between 8,300 feet and 13,800 feet and can be completed in two to four days.

Founded in 1926 by Rafael Larco Hoyle, a young archaeologist, this museum houses one of the most important private collections of Peruvian antiquities. Traditional textiles, ceramics and erotic pottery, gold jewelry, stone sculptures and wooden objects are among the 45,000 pieces on display. The archives are also open to the public, who can stroll among rows of shelves containing 30,000 carefully catalogued pieces of pottery. A unique experience, concluded at the café, set in gardens beneath a large bougainvillea tree.

The first city to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978, Quito is certainly worth a longer visit. Located at an altitude of 9,350 feet/2,850 meters in a small valley at the foot of the Andes, its isolated geographical position has arguably helped preserve its splendid authenticity. With its 17th-century architecture, the city's historic center seems to exist beyond time. Cobblestone squares, Baroque buildings, churches and palaces all compete in their innate beauty. And yet, the old town is no open-air museum, and buzzes with its lively markets and countless cafés.

With its imposing Baroque-style portal and superb stone balconies, the Palace of the Inquisition is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. As the official seat of the Tribunal of the Holy Office, it has also borne witness to unimaginable horrors–it was within these very walls that Spanish religious authorities persecuted heretics. Today, a museum displays, among other things, some of the instruments of torture used by inquisitors. Works of art, pre-Columbian pottery, paintings and furniture from earlier eras offer a wonderful introduction to the history of Cartagena.